Coming out of Haywards Heath a new vista has opened up (this picture isn’t it, although this is a picture of the glorious south downs in Sussex).  Opposite the Birch Hotel in Haywards Heath there is now a new roundabout a slip road down past the hospital . . . it was a PAIN whilst all the building work was going on.  The quickest route to Hove was down a country lane, turning left at the Fox and Hounds, then on through Ditching to the A23 . . . down the country lane is lovely, but in the thick of winter it can be treacherous and in the height of summer the greenery means you can’t see anything and have to watch it as the road curves its way down to the Ditchling Road.

Now, a view has been opened up that I never knew existed.  As you come off the roundabout you start heading downhill and because of the area that has been cleared there is an uninterrupted view (apart from a bit of road stretching ahead of you) of glorious Sussex countryside down to the Downs in the distance . . . magical.

Thing is, I had never seen it or knew it was there until a few months ago.  At the moment, I am reveling in this new view.  Having moved from London nine years ago now, I continue to LOVE where we live!

I got to thinking about my view of the world, or my view of what is possible – or, even my view of what “is”.  This landscape (at least a majority of what I can now see), has always been there, just hidden from my view.  I couldn’t see it.  Change the point of view however and it comes into my field of vision.  There it is!  Amazing.

I have a problem though, I often have just one view.  I have this glorious view now, but that it is coming down this road . . . the view I did have of trees and tight bends has gone.  I can remember it, and I never thought the view I now have would be what I would enjoy on this journey.

Life is often shaped by our vision, by what we can see and often – depending where we are standing, heading, looking, up, down at our feet, head in our hands – we see one thing at a time.  One point of view.  This can be hard in working with others – who also have a point of view, not always chiming with mine!

Thankfully, we worship a God who rather than having one point of view, has an infinite number of viewing points.  He can see it ALL.  Nothing is hidden, nothing needs to be cleared away, darkness itself is as light to Him.  Wow.

Every now and then, it is good to look at what we can see – and be thankful for the graces, mercy and the blessings that surround us.  Far greater though, than my narrow view, my bit of the world that I can glimpse is the vast, creative and imaginative all encompassing view of our creator God.

All that He can see, all that He wants to bring about – by bringing those of us, who don’t always see the same things or see things the same way (look at the same things with the same eyes, who are often squinting or even closing our eyes to stuff that is there right in front of us) . . . by bringing us together.

He wants to bring us together and rather than trust in our limited vision of things and the world around us, great though some of our glimpses might be – He wants to give us a vision that will capture all of our hearts, a vision that we can share through trusting His Spirit in each of us, a vision that is greater than our individual pictures, a vision that he wants to turn into some magnificent masterpiece – bringing it all together and showing us a vision of the Kingdom and a vision for people, a vision that is shaped – not be where we stand on an issue, but by where He has stood in our place, a vision that is shaped not by what we do for Him, but by what He has done for us.

Our vision needs to be filled with Jesus.